Modern planktonic foraminifera from the eastern Indian Ocean

Abstract

A brief morphometric study of the recent planktonic foraminifera in the eastern Indian Ocean was provided with the taxonomic key to species, synonyms, SEM microphotographs of shells and chamber arrays. By recent classification, currently 20 species representing 13 genera and 6 families (Canderinidae, Heterohelicoidae, Hedbergellidae, Higerigerinoidae, Globigerinoidae, and Globorotaloidae) identified from the planktonic material of the eastern Indian Ocean up to a depth of 200 m. Their distribution in water (0–200 m) also reports on the new range of expansion in the eastern Indian Ocean, with Dentigloborotalia anfracta, Hastigerina pelagica, Streptochilus globigerus, Globigerinella calida, Globigerinella adamsi, Orcadia reidelii, Tenuitella parkerae, Tenuitella compressa, reported for the first time in this study area. In general, only around 50 planktonic species are valid worldwide, more specifically the species, e.g., H. pelagica, G. calida, G. adamsi, S. globigerus, O. riedeli, T. parkerae, T. compressa, which occur in the eastern Indian Ocean to fill the the paucity of the recent regional taxonomic literature and the problematic identification from the eastern Indian Ocean. This work aims to bridge this gap and help scientists, managers, educators and students to identify plankton foraminifers by using species notes and images.